Submarine bomb.



W1 1. HMLOCK.

SUBMARINE BOMB. APPLICATION FILED DH). 18. m5.

Patented May 16, 191.6.

lot this specification and show ;%TATE% WILLIAM J. HALLOCK, OF

JERSEY CITY, NEW JERSEY.

SUBMARIN E BOlVlB.

Application filed December 18, 1915.

To aZZ 'w/iom it may concern Be it known that I, Wimmnr J. HxLLocK, a citizen of the United States. residing at Jersey City, in the county of Hudson and State of New Jersey, have invented a certain new and useful Improvement in Submarine Bombs, of which the following is a specification.

The invention relates to bombs designed to be dropped by an aviator into the water above or in proximity to an object 01" attack on or beneath the surface, and tobe exploded by the action of the water upon a detonating device.

The object of the invention is to provide a bomb of this character which may be exploded at or near the surface of the water or at any predetermined depth; which may he quickly conditioned to explode at the desired depth, and when not thus conditioned may be carried in the flying machine or airship without danger of accidental explosion.

The invention consists in certain novel features of construction and arrangement by which the above objects are attained, to be hereinafter described and claimed.

The accompanying drawings form a part a structure embodying the invention.

Figure l is a side view of the bomb. a portion being shown in vertical section. Fig. 2 is a plan view of the base oi. the bomb. Fig. 3 is a corresponding plan w h the base-eover removed. Fig. 4 is a vertical nil section taken on the line i-% in Fig. 2. Similar letters of reference indicate the same parts in all the figures.

The bomb is preferably cylindrical and of considerable length proportionally to its diameter. havin c a pointed end or head A to facilitate i rapid descent through the air and water. and having the body portion B equipped with longitudinal w ngs or vanes B serving to maintain the bomb in a vertical position during such descent. The lease C of the bomb is hollow to provide chamber (1 separated from the body B by a. l..-"izontal partition or deck C and closed by a cover l) screwed upon the base. In the chamber is a centrally located annular partition wall E terminating a short dis tance below the cover D to form an open cup-like recess or pocket 0 on the upper face of the deck. On the under face of the deck is an annular tlange C screwsthreaded exteriorly to receive the body R, and n- Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented May 16, 1916. Serial No. 67,514.

teriorly to receive a cup or shell F forming a chamber 7' below the deck containing batterics M. and having an insulating plug F in its bottom through which the electric wires are led to a detonator or cap N constructed to explode the charge in the bomb by the completion of the electric circuit as usual.

Through the sides of the partition E extend two oppositely located electrodes or contact-points M M mounted in adjustable insulated plugs M M connected by wires extending through the deck C to the batteries and detonating cap so that the latter will be fired when the circuit is completed between the electrodes M M In the sides of the base C are openings 0 through which water may enter the chamber c when one or both of the screw plugs C C are removed and the bomb is submerged. Deliecting plates C C* arranged above the apertures c 0 tend to drive the water rapidly through the latter and into the chamber 0 while the bomb is descending through the water.

l) l) are hollow bosses or nipples on the cover I) having radial openings (Z controlled by a rotatable plate D having radial openliigl's corresponding to the openings (Z, by which the effective area of the latter may be varied and the volume or rapidity of the flow of water therethrough to the chamber may be controlled or varied. The screwcaps l D serve to close the nipples tightly when required.

In the center of the cover D is a boss D through which a screw G extends axially, operated by a hand-wheel G exterior to the cover, and carrying at its lower end a disk (i and gasket G adaptcd to be forced down upon the open upper end or rim of the annular partition E and close the chamber or pocket 0 against the entrance of water, and by retracting the screw, to permit the an nular passage between such rim and disk to be adjusted or varied.

In exploding the bomb the aviator removes one or more of the screw-plugs C C and caps D D and retracts the disk G suffi iently to condition the chamber 0 to fill with water to the level of the partition E at the moment the bomb has reached the desired predetermined depth in it's downward ravel through the water, as previously determined by experiment or calculation. The bomb is then dropped and the chamber c water which overflows into the pocket When the Water in the pocket reaches the electrodes M- M'. it bridges the space between them and by its inherent conductivity completes the circnt through the detonating cap N and the explosion follows.

It is important that the bomb descend in an approximately vertical position. This may be attained by any suitable means, that shown being the above-mentioned vanes B which by the action of the air and water thereon tend to maintain the bomb in the upright position in which it is launched. lChe vanes are shown as each having a flange B extending at each end beyond the body portion of the wing and bent inwardly at the front or lower end to form ahook B" engaged in a suitable cavityformed on the body B of the bomb, and at the upper or partially fills with rear end engaged Within a clamp or band H encircling the body at its junction with the base C and clamped tightly by the screw H engaged in the lugs H H on the sepa" rated ends of the band.

If the bomb is to be exploded at a considerable depth, only one of the screw-caps D is removed and the plate D turned to admit water slowly to the chamber 0, and for less depths the plate is opened farther or both caps removed and the plates set to admit water more rapidly. The flow to the pocket 6 may be further governed by the position of the disk G relatively to the rim of the annular partition E, or one or more of the caps and plugs may be removed from the nipples and openings to admit water freely and. the depth at which the explosion will take place may be controlled by the position of the disk G alone, or other easily operated means may be adopted for controlling the ingress of water to the chamber c and thence to the pocket 6. By tightly closing the nipples and openings and torcing the disk G to its seat on the partition E, as an additional safeguard, the chamber 0 and pocket 0 are tightly sealed and the bomb thus rendered harmless even though submerged as my occur by the descent oithe flyin machine or airship upon the surface of the sea either by accident or design.

1 claim:

1. A bomb adapted to be dropped from the air into water and having a chamber therein with an opening arranged to admit water to such chamber, a pocket in said chamber, eXplOding means in said pocket actuated by the ingress of water from said chamber to said pocket, and means for controlling the flow of Water from such chamher to such pocket.

2. A bomb adapted to be dropped from air into water and having a chamber chamber to such pocket, means :for controlling the How of water to such chamber, and means for controlling the flow of water from such chamber to such pocket.

3. In a bomb of the character set forth,

a hollow base, a cover therefor forming with said base a chamber in the latter, a Prlitltlfgll in said chamber tormmg a pocket then-1n, openings in said base to admit water to sad chamber, electrodes in said pocket arranged to complete an electric circuit by thc ingress of water to such pocket to explode the bomb,

and means for controlling the flow of water to such pocket.

4:. In a bomb of the character set forth, a hollow base, a cover therefor forming with said base a chamber in the latter, an annular partition in such chamber forming a pocket therein, exploding means in said pocket actuated by the ingress of water to said. pocket, said base having an opening from the exterior to said chamber, and a closure for such openin 5. In a bomb of the character set forth, a hollow base, a cov r therefor forming with said base a chamber in the latter, an annular partition in such chau'ibcr forming a. pocket therein. exploding means in said pocket actuated by the ingress of water to said pocket, said base having an opening from the exterior to such chamber, a closure.

for such opening, and a deflector above such oyening arranged to force water through such opening by tho m vcz..rthrough water.

(i. In a bomb of (he cllzil zu'ijci set i'orth, :i hollon base, a cover therefor i'orniing with said base a chamber in the latter. an annular partition in such ch-.un'ier forming a pocket therein, exploding means in said pocket actuated by the :ugrcss of water to said pocket, said base having an opening from the exterior to said chamber. a dish adapted to close such pocket. and a screw extending through said cover for operating said disk.

7. In a bomb of the character set forth, a hollow base, a cover therefor forming with said base a chamber in the latter, an annular partition in such chamber forming a pocket therein, exploding means in said pocket actuated by the ingress of water to said pocket, said cover having an opening therein for the admission of Water to such chamber, and adjustable means for controlling the flow of water through such opening.

In testimony that I claim the invention above set forth I allix my signature.

WlLLIAM J; HA LLOCI'I.

iii oi the bomb 

